MTF calls report for setting up AEPZ

A special committee of Mango Task Force (MTF) has sought a report from patwaris to discuss possibility of setting up agriculture export processing zone or at least some storage and fruit processing facilities, particularly for mango, near new fruit and vegetable market in the city.
The patwaris have been asked to attend a meeting of the MTF committee on September 12 with 'Aks-Shajra' reports of the proposed sites in Shah Rukn-e-Alam Colony, being considered as appropriate options for establishment of more than Rs 300 million AEPZ or at least fruit storage and processing facilities subject to availability of land there, officials said.
It may be noted that talks are under way for allocation of 100 acres of land in Industrial Estate Area Multan for AEPZ but officials are also looking towards other options nearer to the market where fruit arrives in abundance from the orchards.
Special secretary agriculture marketing Punjab had assured help from the provincial government for getting land for the proposed AEPZ in last MTF meeting in which he had formed a committee to locate land near the fruit and vegetable market for processing zone or few cold storage and processing facilities.
The committee visited three sites, including 10 acre area being used for agriculture purposes adjacent to the southern boundary of F&V market, another 15-acre piece of land adjacent to the proposed Bypass, some 300 metres away from the F&V market and 25-acre land adjacent to eastern bank of nearby Naubahar canal located some 300 metres away from eastern gate of F&V market.
The committee was scheduled to meet patwaris on September 3 but it could not take place due to certain reasons.
The committee would now hold a meeting with patwaris on September 12 to discuss availability of land in the light of reports from patwaris and to prepare recommendations about each site for submission to higher authorities.
The next meeting of MTF is expected to take place in mid September when these recommendations would be discussed to devise further course of action to meet the objectives.